- Cornerback Keith Smith was released on Wednesday. Though Smith was injured for part of training camp and hadn't been great since he returned, this was an unexpected move. I personally thought Smith would make the team over Ramzee Robinson, albeit not by a very wide margin. This decision really just came out of left field, especially when news broke a few hours later that Cletis Gordon was claimed by the Lions to fill Smith's spot on the roster. Gordon is a cornerback who was cut by the Texans after spending only a few days with the team. Before that he was with the Chargers, where he spent three seasons and was a starter in one game last year.
- Expect Matthew Stafford to play for around 25 snaps tonight against Buffalo. The coaches don't want him to play for too long, but they do want him to get some more work in before the regular season.
- It doesn't sound like Kevin O'Connell is going to play tonight. The Lions will evaluate him by working him out on Friday and probably Saturday as well. The final cuts have to be made on Saturday, but the Lions will have time to put him through a workout.
- The Lions' value as a franchise dropped by 6% from last year, according to Forbes.
- At one time it looked like both Charles Rogers and Pacman Jones could end up signing with the CFL's Winnipeg Blue Bombers, but now neither are expected to head north of the border. Rogers isn't allowed to sign with any CFL team because he is still suspended by the NFL. As for Jones, it looks like the Blue Bombers had a change of heart once their pursuit of him became public knowledge.
- If Brandon Marshall were to be traded to the Jets, the Broncos reportedly would want linebacker David Harris in return. Harris is a former Michigan player and is who I hoped the Lions would draft in the second round back in 2007. Instead they chose Drew Stanton.
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Thursday Notes: Lions Claim Cletis Gordon, Release Keith Smith
By
Sean Yuille
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